Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nundahl 04-11-07, 02:07 PM	In an effort to have Gnomes be taken more seriously, I ask for the help of the wonderful people of this forum. I'm looking to name some Gnomish NPC's in a few days, and while I'm sure I can come up with enough names for two or three that I need, I like compiling name lists to draw from when necessary. I'm of the opinion that it's "ok" to have a few silly Gnomes, but this is Eberron, and I'd like to see some names other than "Gizpin Flywhistle" or "Jacklily Wrenchwinder". So, here goes, let's break the World of Warcraft stereotype and make some Gnome names the PC's won't laugh histerically at! 1. Dorian Delsson Sivis 2. Lianis Sagissant Willheimina du'Pris 3. "Clink" MacIntire Crestal Now, there's some names, but none of them really scream "Gnomish" (save for Sivis) ... so that's my challenge to the boards; How do we make Gnomish names be distinctly Gnomish, without being silly? Help! Feel free to post discussion responses or to add to the list. Please number your submissions and include full names.
Faithful_One 04-11-07, 03:56 PM	Sir Blows-you-up-into-tiny-pieces-with-his-magic? Sorry I'll try to think of some more serious ones later.
Esgay 04-11-07, 04:00 PM	Hmm, gnomes haven't really been well represented in our campaign, the only one I named was called "mad" Pickle Madison. To be fair he was completely unhinged due to people constantly making fun of his name (just don't call him mad).
Darth Syntax 04-11-07, 04:13 PM	I've been working (albeit a bit hit and miss) on creating the Zil language, and naming conventions are an important part of that. Zil names (in my version of them) are generally quite long as they contain a large ammount of information. Zil names are loosely based on classical Arabic naming structure (although not in sound) as well as names from Icelandic sagas. You know, the whole: I am Beo the Clever, son of Orlan the Unpleasant, grandson of Unfirth the Lame who was king of the Wingnuts in the days of the forgotten sheep . . . and so on and so on. They encode personal names, family history, social status, place of origin and all manner of other things. Additionally, the Zil don't have fixed names. What I mean is that the name you are given as a small child (and gnome children are very small indeed) is not the name you use when you are an adult, and your adult name is not likely to be the name you die with. This was inspired by the fact there are some english names that are really weird for people of a certian age. I have a hard time imagining a 3 year old Ethel or a 80 year old Brittany, but that's just me. At this point I should probably explain how I have constructed Zil kinship, as it plays a role in how the names are structured. The Zil use a bifurcate merging kinship system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iroquois_kinship) which means that relations are traced not simply through generations and "sides" of the family, but also by sex. A male gnome child is considered to be more a part of his father's family than his mothers, whereas a female child is seen as more a part of her mother's family than her fathers. So when a Zil name encodes "child of parent" it is always either "son of father" or "daughter of mother". Often, for my own personal amusment, I will make references to some of my inspirations for Zil culture and philosophy in the names I givem them. For example, Adso is a common first name in Zilargo and it is also the name of the narrator in Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. I have an NPC whose (partial) initials are J.L.B. which points to the Argentine writer Jorge Luise Borges. Just a little game, but one I think the Zil would enjoy. An example (somewhat shortened) male Zil name: Jadranlo Luesarn Telynn Vedanyaro Casularae evn'Belanlarshya Occamlargo essa Korran Roughly, this name is "J.L.T.V.C. son of Belanlarshya Occamlargo of the house of Korran." When dealing with non-Zil he uses the following shortend form of his name: Jadranlo Luesarn Belanlarshya Occamlargo, and often just goes by either Jadranlo or Occamlargo. If I were to give his full name, there would be a reference to his father's father (Orye Luesarn evn'Adso . . .), his city of origin (Korranberg), his social class (upper merchant class), and a reference to his hypothetical wife's family name. -- Some Zil names, divided by type. (Y) indicated a child name, (E) indicated and old age name, unmarked names are considered to be appropriate for all ages, but are generally considered to be adult names. given female names: Ismene, Chenrazzi, Alyina, Maione, Illyana, Iocasta(E), Cheada, Illone, Newi(Y), Sailessa, Augrana(E), Saune, Jeil, Dyania(Y) given male names: Adso, Orye, Ulion, Penardo(E), Jadranlo, Luesarn, Daz(Y), Jenarill, Roilenac, Weion, Sarlen, Aujon(E). Family names: Cenyasoeri, Occamlargo, Deslanna, Odyennos, Swadeish, House/clan names: Kor/Korran, Zol/Zolan, Trol/Trolan, Sivis/Sivizan, Ochir/Ochiran Kinship markers: evn' (son of), ava' (daughter of) -- Hopefully this is the sort of thing you might be lookig for
Nived 04-11-07, 05:57 PM	I have no problem keeping naming conventions of core D&D in for Eberron. One of the core aspects of the Gnome naming conventions is the nickname. As their 'proper' names in traditional D&D and other settings are so dang long, not only would stortened forms be appropriate but I think the nickname also has a place in Zilargo. That being that information is such an essential part of Gnomish society I believe one's reputation would also be quite an honored commodity, and an earned name, a nickname might be a natural extention of that. Similar to that of the American Wild West (not that Gnomes are cowboy's just in how reputations were important) one's epithet was perhaps more important than one's name, Wild Bill, Buffelo Bill, Billy the Kid, rather than William Hickok, William Cody, and Henry McCarty respectively. Perhaps epithets is a better term for gnomish society rather than nicknames, but I do think that they'd be important.
goblin_pride 04-11-07, 08:43 PM	I can't believe you people talk to the bloody pests long enough to find out that they have names.
Nundahl 04-12-07, 08:48 AM	Thanks Nived and Syntax ... good stuff. I actually once ran a homebrew campaign where Gnomes were desert dwellers, and the culture was heavily steeped in Arabic references, including naming conventions. I've considered going that route once again, but I did shy away a bit having done it once before. At any rate, thank you much for the assistance, hopefully I'll hear some more ideas here when I check back again.
AntiSean 04-12-07, 09:31 AM	Races of Eberron contains an excellent example of a Gnomish naming convention: <firstname> <familyname> <clanname>. It contains absolutely no trace of the ridiculous "comic" gnomish names that, while they worked well as comic relief in the initial Dragonlance novels, wound up infecting the rest of the game. Eberron has finally given us not just a valid explanation for gnomes in a campaign setting, but an *excellent* one, and I'd rather not see them ruined by idiotic names: Tarsius Kan Taladar, yes! Bleepnip Squigglefart, no! Now to find some coffee...
Amaunet 04-12-07, 09:43 AM	Simply using Races of Stone, I named my Gnome Artificer: Arum’oaena Faerolen Garowel Lunagara If I remember correctly, there are details on Gnome naming conventions, names with meanings and a roll chart...:rolleyes:
Volkmar 04-14-07, 01:43 PM	The gnome swashbuckler captain in my campaign is named Seenock Shepple. I also had a gnome NPC (aurum member), Alladin ir'Naw Dernholl III, son of Rhunnanborgh, son of Hesthin.
Splendide 04-19-07, 04:01 AM	I played a gnome warblade/legendary leader, and had to name a whole bunch of NPCs. Fries Amarin Korran Rieda Amarin Korran Yossan Amarin Korran Icina Rudan Menecci Valan Rudan Menecci Melf Menard Menecci Komnock Arrebar Girello Pocluda Esken Girello Tanman Flaza Girello Dausa Esken Girello Usca Flaza Girello Fressa Geren Girello Dellias Arraman Hoquith Wentol Arraman Hoquith Haskar Duen Velocine Tasma Joth Velocine Mericin Bodess Velocine Egendus d'Sivis Ecker Fultick Messen Giosa Cency Tallick Oulan Griddel Dandan Korto Illitz Loamer Aztey Erden Polota Iomar Ezzik Gobsen Bock Altenden Entz Aia Figgo Delcimay Wott Sallim Rutaman Scoda Iblie Omonard
The Ubbergeek 04-19-07, 11:15 AM	G'bli Gedook, nice name for a cleric
Vardaen 04-27-07, 05:55 PM	My favorite gnome ever... Dimble "Dim" Nickham Penderbolt-Glamourtoes Illusionist (Shadowshaper from UA) 3/Spellthief 3 "Would you like to see my Weasel?" - Dim to a priest of the god of death. (Someplace in his backpack his familar, a weasel named Weasel squeeks in terror.)
Hellcow 05-01-07, 04:39 PM	Races of Eberron contains an excellent example of a Gnomish naming convention: <firstname> <familyname> <clanname>. This is the standard, with a tradition (though not a requirement) of alliteration in at least two names. To mention a few off the top of my head... Lysse Lyrriman d'Sivis (ECS) Alina Lorridan Lyrris (The Dreaming Dark) Madra Sil Sarin (Sharn: City of Towers) Tasker Torralyn d'Sivis (Dragonmarked) Kirris Sel Shadra (Secrets of Xen'drik) Dorius Alyre ir'Korran (ECS) (an exception to the alliteration tradition, and unusual in that I tend to think of the ir' as a Galifar custom - so it may indicate an honorary rank as a noble of Galifar) Alina Alyre ir'Korran (ECS) Egendus d'Sivis Family name is important for Sivis, because there are certainly schemes between the families. Dragonmarked lists six of the Sivis families, leaving the other slots open for the DM to fill. At some point, I know I've written about the role of these families (for example, the Torralyns typically develop whispering wind and are the primary stonespeakers), but I'm 95% sure it got cut. I don't have it on hand on this computer, but when I'm back from my exiciting travels, I'll dig it up and post it. Which is not to say that you shouldn't use Darth Syntax's more complex method - this is just the system outlined in Races of Eberron and how you'll see Zil gnomes named in anything I'm working on.
Kamikaze Chicken 05-07-07, 12:22 PM	I came up with a non-eberron character who went by Goint Shaleheart wiz/cleric/geomancer/mystic theurge He was rathe rinteresting, and I should probably consider converting him to eberron. KAMIKAZE! :chicken: out.
dsivis 05-12-07, 01:42 PM	Actual Names Used: Some are sillier than others...admittedly, gnomes are my favorite race, so I try for a balance. Nicknames in parentheses. Zook Adouk Ibingadzukt (Gadzooks) Arnythanys Alidor ir'Korran (Arny) Maxwell Sylator Sivis (Silverhammer) Arcanara Adelefaern Trolana (Nara) Francetta Napanthei Noradia (Frenchie) Interesting conventions shown so far...Italian, Arabic, English and Icelandic... cool.